International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091

Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

Uncovering the Connection of Cancel Culture and the Internet

Glaiza Viernes
viernesglaiza2@[Link]
Rasabelle Ulnagan
razaulnagan@[Link]
Denielle Erika Delos Reyes
delosreyesdenielleerika@[Link]
Kristine Joyce Lazatin
kristinejoycelazatin01@[Link]
Rey Anne Alipio
reyanneaalipio@[Link]
Julie Ann Mendoza
mendozajulieann72@[Link]
Alva Mia Balisi
balisialvamia@[Link]
Gina Rose Ignacio
ignacioginarose59@[Link]
Rosalinda Fernandez
adnilasorfernandez004@[Link]
Christian Paul Pascua
ampaulpascua@[Link]
BSEd
Isabela State University- San Mariano Campus

ABSTRACT
This study aims to unveil the relationship between cancel culture and the internet, to identify the
causes and factors of its occurrence. A descriptive research design was adopted. A case study of
the cancellation of the different social media personalities of the country the Gonzaga sisters,
Buknoy Glamurr, President Rodrigo Duterte, and BryanBoy was also conducted to identify the
factors of the emergence of cancel culture. The findings of the study revealed that cancel culture
happens for several reasons. The reasons are as follows: (1) varying political views and
perspectives, (2) misbehavior, (3) different religious beliefs, (4) violations of human rights. This
study gives an exemplary contribution in uncovering the connection between cancel culture and
the internet.
Keywords: Cancel culture, the internet, social media.

INTRODUCTION

[Link] [86]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

The Internet has enabled users to spread information, connect, and engage in many
sorts of interaction. In modern society, social media has become a powerful force as it makes it
easier for the emergence of social movements and digital participatory culture. With the
interconnectedness of technology and society, new types of collectiveness have been made. The
internet is not only a means of exchanging information; it is also paving the way for the emergence
of social movements and digital involvement. It has also evolved into a platform for presenting
and contending ideologies, cultures, and information. As a result, one of the most common
practices carried out by internet users is the act of canceling a person without considering the
implications.
When we talk about cancel culture, the first thing that comes to mind is how people used
to be called out on social media for their actions and statements that were insulting to a certain
group. Those who have been offended take to social media to publicly denounce the offending
party using various social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Before
someone knows it, others have taken to the internet to express and voice out their ideas and views.
The outcome may be to cancel the offending party by disclaiming or denying them the status they
may have posted, or they may be ostracizing them to the public. In other words, it is like
blacklisting an individual or a group. “Almost everyone worth knowing has been canceled by
someone” (Bromwich, 2018). According to the unmarked and utterly vague norm of today’s social
media milieu, those who were ostracized or canceled had crossed the line of social acceptability.
“It’s a withdrawal from someone whose expression – either artistic, political or otherwise – was
previously welcomed or allowed but is no longer” (Bromwich, 2018). Furthermore, it is a strategy
of seeking to remove someone from public debate – either by requesting their dismissal, publicly
humiliating, or de-platforming.
“The phenomenon known as “cancel culture” is very common in the online community.
The term “canceling,” has gained popularity in recent years as a result of discussion sparked by
movements that demand and expect more accountability from prominent individuals, such as the
#MeToo movement, which began in 2006 (Gill & Rahman-Jones, 2020). This movement uplift
women to speak up about sexual abuse they had experienced. The #MeToo movement obtained
traction by holding powerful men in politics and the entertainment industry responsible for their
conduct (Greenspan, 2020). This civilization demonstrates how quickly content can disseminate
through digital networks, and as well as how large-scale responses can be generated in response
to behaviors that are viewed as undesirable (Ng, 2020). Cancel culture frequently entails
previously unheard groups making a minor dent in the authority of those who are privileged by
race, gender, class, or other factors (Butler, 2018).
The concept of canceling has been present for over a decade, but the phrase cancels culture
first emerged in 2017 after the idea of canceling politicians and celebrities, poor for moral remarks,
and breaches became popular (Greenspan, 2020). In 2017, the term “cancel culture” was coined,
and it is exploded in popularity. Before 2018, insiders notice fewer than 100 tweets and threads
featuring the phrase “cancel culture” (Greenspan, 2020).
To "cancel" is to do more than simply unfollowing a politician, celebrity, or influencer
celebrity; it also means making it a point to discourage people from following them for what they
are known for, and joining a movement that openly mocks them. Publicly canceling someone
necessitates announcing the act, which draws the target's attention. The intent of canceling
someone is frequently to deprive them of their "cultural cachet." (Merriam-Webster, 2019). The
intention is to deprive the target of a significant following, respect, and attention, even if the target
of cancellation becomes a prominent point of attention for the public and sometimes the media.

[Link] [87]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

"People talk about the attention economy - when you deprive someone of their attention, you're
robbing them of a livelihood," Lisa Nakamura, a professor in the Department of American Cultures
at the University of Michigan, said of this attention deprivation. (Merriam-Webster, 2019).
"Culture" is defined as "a distinct set of people's qualities and knowledge." (Zimmermann,
2017). The advent of social media, smart technology, and viral content has resulted in the
emergence of internet culture. Because each area of the internet has its own distinct culture,
internet culture cannot be characterized in a single way (Allebach, 2019). YouTube, for example,
has its own set of norms and procedures. People all over the internet have developed an
understanding and practice of "canceling," and there have been so many "cancellations" that it has
turned into a movement (Greenspan, 2020). The term "cancel culture" came from this prevalent
behavior.
Theories suggest several factors in modern societies which may help to explain the rise of
a canceled culture. Perhaps the most important factor in most accounts is the preference of
individuals in everything—politics, morality, social norms, or in other aspects. Likewise, minded
people, on the other hand, only hear what they want to hear. Anything that goes against their beliefs
and interests is regarded as undesirable. Users of social media follow pages that share their beliefs
and unfollow those who don't appear to. It becomes more difficult to integrate views that are
counter to the prevalent ideological climate when one's thoughts and ideas grow more in sync with
other mediated connections on social media. This is the present digital social milieu to which we
are all exposed. As individuals who wield influence over their various networks, celebrities,
influencers, and public personalities are held to a strict standard of contemporary social
acceptability.
Another hot topic for someone to be called out on the internet is the political stand. Almost
every day someone is being bullied on the comment section of every post on different platforms
just because he expressed his political views. Someone is canceled for exercising his freedom of
expression that others don’t seem to comprehend. Furthermore, cancel culture refers to the act of
canceling someone due to past wrongdoings. It can be also seen in a society that when someone
doesn’t agree with the other people’s views or opinions, they will get canceled since they do not
have the same take in either their political views, culture, ethnicity, race, skin color, etc. Especially,
in these times in which the campaign period happens, supporters of different parties try to do
background checking and share to the public, undesirable things about the other and seek
validation from their co-supporters. A simple misused word in a post, a comment that contradicts
the mainstream narrative, an "insensitive" joke, or even a "problematic" essay can unleash a torrent
of rage from social media users. You'll be publicly humiliated, and your show will be canceled.
To further understand the connection between cancel culture and the internet in a simple
yet concise manner, the researchers answer the following objectives: (1) Determine the influence
of the internet on cancel culture and (2) identify the key factors that contribute to the emergence
of cancel culture.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Instrument
In this study, descriptive research was employed to understand the root cause and factors
of cancel culture and its connection to the internet. The researchers utilized the case of various
famous personalities cancelation to determine what factors led to the emergence of cancel culture.

[Link] [88]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

This research method was easy and convenient in obtaining information which strengthened
the viewpoints and arguments in the study.
Procedure
This study was conducted during the first semester of the school year 2021-2022. This was
accomplished through reading, watching, and evaluating the case of famous public figures who
have been subjected to cancel culture. In addition, the descriptive design was used to present and
acquire as much information and relative evaluation as possible. This method was utilized to
analyze documentary evidence, answer specific questions that need to be answered, or observe
specific situations, making it a useful tool for ensuring that our research is comprehensive and
reliable. During the observation process, the researcher kept a field note, which they used to jot
down data on the datasheet so that it could be organized directly. Using a laptop and a cellphone,
the researcher took down notes on all the relevant information. To obtain the data, some measures
were taken. The researchers began by watching and reading the case of the famous public figure
who has been canceled.
The researchers then evaluated and analyzed the data gathered to gain meaning and empirical
knowledge about the connection of cancel culture and the internet as well as the factors of the
emergence of cancel culture.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

This study uncovers the connection between cancel culture and the internet. It is evident
that cancel culture and the internet truly interconnect with each other, internet worsens the toxicity
of cancel culture because of its wide reach, on contrary, cancel culture has positive impacts that
made users digitally literate. The amount of data collected from the cancelation of those famous
personalities presented us with a rich data set that provided us with the knowledge we needed to
figure out the factors of cancelation. The result of this study provides empirical findings regarding
the reasons why someone got canceled out. As a result, cancel culture happens for a variety of
reasons, all of which are the following: varying political views and perspectives, misbehavior,
different religious beliefs, and violations of human rights.

Factor 1: Varying Political Views and Perspectives

Political views are a set of beliefs on something, it is the ideology that someone has in the
political system. It was found that people who identified as either Republican or Democrat are
generally more likely to have a greater level of engagement and that was the reason why people
got canceled out because of political differences. Some people will cancel the ones who support
their opposition. Republicans and Democrats are the opposing teams who will never agree with
each system of authorization and leadership (Price and Remaly 2021). In connection with this,
was the latest issue with the Gonzaga sisters whereas “kakampinks” canceled them for supporting
its’ opposition. The Gonzaga sisters were slammed on Twitter by Vice President Leni Robredo's
followers after Alex and Toni's husband was spotted at Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr.'s
headquarters. As a result, some supporters of Leni Robredo chastised the Gonzaga sisters. Their
followers who were rooting for their presidential rival chose to “cancel” the Gonzaga sisters. One
of the main reasons why the Gonzaga sisters were chastised by the public is simply because their
political point of view is different from the point of view of those who are canceling them,
especially the supporters of Vice-president Leni Robredo.

[Link] [89]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

The vloggers/influencers/actresses/models Gonzaga sisters were canceled because

they are so-called apologists and revisionists. Due to garnered immense backlash in the tweet of
the Team BongBong Marcos calls for canceling them was now evident on Twitter. The following
are some tweets on Twitter that shows Twitter user seeking to cancel and boycott their upcoming
movie, which reads “Next my Gonzaga sisters movie to boycott, My Sassy Girl.” Another
compiled tweet reads, “It's good time to unfollow the Gonzaga sisters LOL not that I followed
them in the first place.” Another tweet reads, “It’s time to teach the Gonzaga sisters a lesson by
unfollowing and unsubscribing from all their socmed platforms! No to apologists and
revisionists!” Subsequently, they started connecting the issue with their religious beliefs as a
Twitter user tweeted as reads “Prime example of hypocrite yan. Same pa naman kami ng church,
ang disappointing kasi sana man lang sinabihan ng Pastors. Sa mga non-born-again Christians
po, please remember, Gonzaga sisters (face vomiting emoji) do NOT represent us ha.” Another
user said that “unfollow Gonzaga sisters. Meged puro verses pero gusting gusto and demonyo at
magnanakaw…kadiri.” Other users started to tag affiliated brands with the Gonzaga sisters to call
their attention to their remarks. “ABS-CBN should not make the Gonzaga sisters renew their
contract with them anymore. “Those two supports the son of the dictator who closed ABS-CBN
down back in the 70s, and also the current ABS-CBN refused ABS-CBN’s franchise. ABS-CBN
NEEDS TO STOP GIVING HOME TO TRAITORS!!”
Many observers have suggested that, by facilitating the circulation of hate speech, social
media are responsible, at least in part, for an apparent increase in xenophobic attitudes and,
ultimately, for hate crimes. Conceptually, social media could affect hate crimes through different
channels. First, because social media facilitate coordination and collective action (Enikolopov et
al. 2020), they could also do so for potential perpetrators of hate crimes. Second, social media
could change attitudes: Previously tolerant individuals might become hateful after being exposed
to xenophobic views online, whereas individuals with moderately xenophobic views might
become more extreme as a result of the polarizing effects of echo chambers (Sunstein 2001, 2017;
Settle 2018). Third, social media could reduce the social stigma of hate speech and possibly even
hate crimes by providing xenophobic individuals with a platform to connect to like-minded people,
giving a (false) sense of the normality of such actions. In this case, the evidence has unpacked and
examined the cancel culture as a trending issue in the social media platform as a social movement.
It is high democratization of discourse. A force of intolerance in discerning the ideas of the
contrary leads to the cancelation of the opposition.

Factor 2: Misbehavior
Misbehavior is an action when a person displays inappropriate behavior such as throwing
hate and making fun of someone wherein social media platforms have become breeding grounds
for user misbehavior. Chiou 2020 said that cancel culture happens when a certain public figure
does something pejorative to a certain people or group, offensive, and unjust behavior will lead
him to be canceled out by the public. A lot of people became famous and gained large followings.
However, what they tried to instill and communicate with their followers is not always accepted.
Concerning this, Buknoy Glamurr an influencer and vlogger was the best example of this. He was
suspended from social media due to indecent remarks directed towards the public.
He uploaded a video of himself criticizing a tricycle driver, which was deemed insensitive
and offensive by netizens. Furthermore, he received a lot of criticism from the public because of
the offensive comment he throws at the tricycle driver during his vlog. He stated that, “Ang gusto
ko talagang sabihin sa inyo is wag kayong sumuko na mangarap. Wag na wag kayong sumuko na

[Link] [90]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

tuparin ang mga pangarap ninyo kasi kung hindi kayo magsu-sumikap sa buhay, walang-wala
kayong mararating tulad nito,” [I just want to say that you should not stop dreaming and never
give up on your dreams because if you don’t work hard, you will never succeed in life, ‘just like
him’], Buknoy was referring to a passing tricycle driver. Social media users call out for the
misconduct and advertise to withdraw his supporter’s support towards him. Virtuz (2020) stated
that the video generated unfavorable comments from online users who remarked on how intense
the vlogger was and that tricycle drivers should not be underestimated because they work hard to
support their families and are simply trying to get out of poverty. In this regard, the video has
received over two million views on the microblogging platform. On Friday morning, July 3, 2020,
the keywords “Buknoy” and “TRICYCLE DRIVER” entered the local top trending list, as some
Filipinos expressed their outrage and disgust over the vlogger’s views against the workers
(Malasig, 2020).
Thus, displaying bad behavior, making fun of someone, and saying inappropriate words
can lead someone to be canceled out by the public. Müller & Schwarz (2019) show how social
media can instigate hate crimes by propagating nasty statements from opinion leaders, such as
extremely influential social media users, to the broader public.

Factor 3: Different Religious Beliefs

Religious beliefs are a collection of the cultural system, each religion has its forms of
beliefs for example in Christianity they are the believers and followers of Jesus-the son of God
while the other such a Muslims are the believers of Allah, Buddhism is believers in Buddha, and
the likes. Religion influences human well-being wherein it can give people’s lives meaning and
purpose. However, in a culture that separates individuals ethnically and religiously, being
connected with a specific group or viewpoint might result in you being “canceled” (Haywood,
2020).
Religious belief is a sensitive issue in society and it causes a lot of clashes between people
who have a different perspective on religion. This has been observed in social media especially
Tiktok and Twitter. Social media has become a ubiquitous form of interacting and sharing
information. However, comments on social media sites are often aggressive and contemptuous,
especially when topics are serious and controversial. Different personalities have been bashed and
canceled because of their views on religion. Bryanboy is a rich famous personality in Tiktok
wherein his content is about fashions and usually he answers his bashers’ comments sarcastically.
Bryanboy has been ostracized by the public because he mocked the religion by posting disturbing
pictures of Jesus and making fun out of it. The reason why Bryanboy was canceled by the public
was that the photos he posted in his blog were considered insulting to the Catholic Church. People
call him an Atheist because he does not believe in any religion and called God “Invisible
skydaddy”. Moreover, he added that “Religion is a very important tool to brainwash and to control
people”. As a result, a lot of people called him out because he believed in religion. However, it
became too far because someone said that: (Kung ikaw nagkasakit at hindi ka pinagaling,
nararapat lang sa iyo yan.) [“If you get sick and you do not get better, you deserve it”].
He is rich and often boasts all his branded clothes and bags like Gucci, Channel, Prada, etc.
in Tiktok. And someone said, (Mag-ipon ka ng yaman sa langit wag sa lupa.) [“Store up treasures
in heaven, not on earth”]. Bryanboy however answered it sarcastically and does not get affected
by what his bashers said about him and his views on religion.
We indeed have the freedom to speak and to share our ideas on a certain topic on social
media. Of course, ideas and opinions have always been democratized in some form. Free speech

[Link] [91]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

allows us to say whatever we want but does not grant us the freedom to say it anywhere we
want. We must consider other people’s beliefs before saying anything to prevent us from hurting
other people as well as preventing ourselves not to be criticized and called out by others. Thus, it
implies that if someone has a different religious belief and does not even meet society’s standard
in religion, hence, being canceled and being called out is the worst to happen.
Factor 4: Violation of Human Rights
One of the most appalling aspects of the war on drugs is that it can legitimize not just
human rights abuses, but also a complete rejection of human rights as a principle. This is the reason
why our current ruler, President Rodrigo Duterte has been backlashed and canceled on different
platforms. The emergence of extrajudicial killings to provide development is like a quick fix but
made lots of lost lives seen as collateral damage. The victims are often male, unemployed, or
underemployed, underprivileged, and from the informal settlements or squatter communities.
(Mogato, 2017). Some refused to partake in investigations by the Commission on Human Rights,
as they are afraid of reprisals by the police (Conde, 2019). Activists have accused authorities of
carrying out summary executions that killed innocent people, including dozens of children. Human
Rights Watch also investigated adult homicides in which police showed little consideration for
children’s safety and well-being, entering homes in the middle of the night when the entire family
was sleeping. During several raids where their parents were slaughtered or carried away, children
were present. Millions of people have been traumatized by the continuous death seen on the
different platforms. Thousands of children were also traumatized by their parents’ or other relative
deaths, by witnessing them firsthand, and through the fear, they feel for their lives (Conde, 2019).
In this regard, President Duterte has been canceled out by the Filipino people. The sharp
reactions were mainly seen in social media seeking justice, as he violated the human rights of many
to achieve his willingness to end the war on drugs. Cancel culture is a way to bring to justice for
legal, social, ethical violations of a famous or empowered person or group by refusing support and
(or) public condemnation, mainly on social networks (reply from acanthus, boycott of its projects)
(Oksana Yaremko, 2021).
It is evident that cancel culture happens for a variety of reasons and that the internet has a
huge impact on cancel culture. Truly, the internet publicizes cancel culture as seen in the Gonzaga
sisters’, President Rodrigo Duterte, Brayanboy, and Buknoy Glamurr’s issues, made the
researchers conclude that people cancel anyone in the society especially people who have a name
in the society, where they were plugged on the internet particularly on social media. The
cancelation of these people was a deliberate choice because of the attention it received along with
its still occurring consequences. Shank, 2020 concluded that cancel culture is being practiced to
cancel famous personalities, brands, or people who have done or said something harmful or
regarded as wrong by society and being appeared in some form on practically every social media
platform.
Cancel culture is a very enormous topic. Due to the emergence of numerous social media
platforms, the number of people who can go online and condemn others for their behavior and
words is enormous. Platforms like Twitter have helped to democratize the social media landscape,
allowing individuals to openly express their thoughts and ideas on a certain topic (Marissa Chin,
2020). Lopez, [Link]., (2021), pointed out that online platforms may be influencing how society
reacts to taboo behaviors, the social media platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and
others are making it simpler to swiftly exchange information and then comment with personal
opinions. Moreover, canceling someone as the message and the internet as the medium is
becoming rampant. Once an issue enters the virtual realm, it is no longer subject to private

[Link] [92]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

resolution; it is there for the entire world to judge, criticize, and maybe fight over and end up
canceling the people for making them feel offended by the words or actions made (Mintz, 2021).
Furthermore, this study had discovered that cancel culture becomes toxic due to the
influence of the internet. As stated by Lauren Shank (2020) cancel culture is toxic and has
become negative in society as a result of social media’s influence. It is blooming in this season of
life and has appeared in some form on practically every social media platform. The temptation to
join the bandwagon of group shaming has gotten much easier, as witnessed most prominently on
social media sites. After all, someone who engages in canceling culture can do it with the single
click of a keyboard or the tap of a phone. Horowitz, H. (2021) emphasizes that cancel culture is
thought to instill a sense of responsibility in those who make undesirable statements or actions.
Instead, it fosters an atmosphere in which harassment and bullying are tolerated and even
encouraged. Anyone can voice or comment their opinion about the individual who has been
“canceled” on social media, putting that person’s safety in jeopardy and putting them at risk of
being utterly ostracized. In addition, if someone had been canceled, it might make him feel
ostracized, socially alienated, and lonely, similar to bullying. According to other studies, loneliness
has also been linked to higher instances of anxiety, sadness, and suicide (Toler, L. 2021). Many
public figures especially celebrities have been subjected to the wrath of cancel culture through the
advent of the internet in recent years.
Finally, through documentary analysis, we have discovered that the common reasons and
factors that appeared in the cases of well-known personalities were the ones that influenced cancel
culture toxicity. This signifies that (1) Cancel culture is toxic for the reason that it can reveal
everything a certain well-known personality had done wrong in the past, it can reveal their
background and personal life. (2) Cancel culture has a positive impact on digital citizenship; for it
will make the user's mind curious to seek clarity, validity, and reliability. (3) Cancel culture can
cancel its toxic attributes through social movements by the internet users to promote digital
literacy. On top of that, it indicates that negative and positive cancel culture co-exists due to
internet users’ ability and inability to use, understand, and create something out of the existing
digital tools.

EDUCATIONAL IMPLICATIONS
This research is beneficial to everyone who wants to avoid being shunned or canceled by
others. We, as researchers, offer some implications in this study, including skepticism, critical
thinking, and privacy respect.
1. Skepticism. The cancel culture, which is a popular trend on the internet will have a big
impact on online society if it continues to advance negatively or if people utilize it for
wrongdoings. People will tend to acknowledge the information they obtained on the
internet as fake, and it will be affected those telling the truths. Also, it will become worst
if people will take advantage of it in doing things that are inappropriate like hating or
insulting someone for no reason and by going beyond the limit in which the human rights
of that person were violated. Therefore, awareness and knowledge about the digital world
must pursue not to be part or victim of anything inappropriate.
2. Critical Thinking. In addition, researchers determined that to minimize the negative
impacts of the cancelation culture, it would be beneficial if individuals applied critical
thinking to whatever they did on the internet. In a broader perspective, people should learn
how to evaluate and assess the information they have obtained from social media and, most
importantly, they should raise their awareness about those issues they have shared on the

[Link] [93]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

internet about canceling people’s due to different viewpoints on diverse issues. This has
become more complex because of the vulnerable influence of social media, wherein people
are free to give their perceptions about those matters. Therefore, elucidating the impression
that digital users must take steps to become good influencers in the world of the digital era.
Cancel culture is toxic. Therefore, people should spread accurate information and respect
people’s views in life.
3. Privacy. Furthermore, the internet has been popular in recent years as a result of the
influence of modernity, allowing people to freely express their opinions and views on a
variety of issues and topics via social media. Usually, the hottest celebrity concerns that
people pay more attention to. However, the ramifications of this have had a severe effect
on the persons who have been canceled as a result of their differing perspectives on some
issues. People should learn to respect others’ viewpoints as well as their privacy in this
regard. People should not post everything on the internet, and they should be aware of the
statements they have made in public, whereas people in today’s social media are sensitive
to the point where digital users are active and constantly throw words on people’s
viewpoints about their political views and so on.
Furthermore, the researchers suggest that the teachers should provide approaches for students
to prevent the bad effects of this phenomenon. Thus, proper discipline and continuous reminders
should always be given attention inside the classroom to mitigate the harmful effect of cancel
culture on the students.

I. CONCLUSION
The purpose of this research was to unmask what is the underlying connection between cancel
culture and the internet that made this good and bad exist in society. The factors influencing cancel
culture were further examined, and it was seen that technological modernization and the inability
to grasp hard truth were the root cause of cancel culture toxicity. It was then identified that
inaccurate behavior of the well-known personalities lead them to be canceled out by the people.
On contrary, cancel culture enlightens the mind and prevailed facts covered by fake news. This is
due to people believing in what the majority thinks. It was seen then that skepticism, digital
literacy, and critical thinking were lacking among internet users.
These findings accentuate the significance of digital literacies among internet users. This
would subsequently lessen the toxicity of cancel culture if users are digitally literate, skeptical,
respectful, and critical thinkers.

REFERENCES
[1] Beiner, A. (2021, April 26). Sleeping woke: Cancel culture and simulated religion. Medium.
Retrieved January 9, 2022, from [Link]
culture-and-simulated-religion-5f96af2cc107

[2] Bennett, J. (2020, November 19). What if instead of calling people out, we called them in? The
New York Times. [Link]
[Link],

[3] Bromwich, J. E. (2018, June 28). Everyone is canceled. The New York Times. Retrieved
January 9, 2022, from [Link]

[Link] [94]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

[4] Butler, D. (2018). The misplaced hysteria about a ‘cancel culture’ that doesn’t actually
exist. The Root. Retrieved from [Link]
abouta-cancel-culture-that-do-1829563238

[5] Chen, J. (2020). Social media demographics to inform your brand’s strategy in 2020. Retrieved
From [Link]

[6] Chin, M., (2020). The real problem with cancel culture: The online trend that might be causing
more problems than ending them. [Link]
[Link]

[7] Chiou, R. (2020) We Need Deeper Understanding About the Neurocognitive Mechanisms of
Moral Righteousness in an Era of Online Vigilantism and Cancel Culture, AJOB Neuroscience,
11:4, 297-299, Retrieved from DOI: 10.1080/21507740.2020.1830872

[8] Conde, C. (October 2019), “Collateral Damage: The Children of Duterte’s ‘War on
Drugs’”, Retrieved from Human Rights Watch, Online:
<[Link]
wardrugs

[9] Enikolopov, R., A. Makarin, and M. Petrova (2020): “Supplement to ‘Social Media and Protest
Participation: Evidence From Russia’,” Econometrica Supplemental Material,
88, [Link]

[10] Gill, G., & Rahman-Jones, I. (2020). Me Too founder Tarana Burke: Movement is not Over.
BBC. Retrieved from [Link]
53269751#:~:text=Tarana%20began%20using%20the%20phrase,Harvey%20Weinstein%20of%
20sexual%20assault.

[11] Greenspan, R. (2020). How ‘cancel culture’ quickly became one of the busiest and most
Controversial ideas on the internet. Insider. Retrieved from [Link]
culture-meaning-history-origin-phrase-used-negatively-2020-7

[12] Hayes, S. (2021). Postdigital Positionality: developing powerful inclusive narratives for
learning, teaching, research and policy in Higher Education, p. 11. 2021. Retrieved
from [Link]
q=info:EFafdhtRUX4J:[Link]/&ots=Nlh9YrV_3i&sig=9C2XXh5CJQNDcadxea84
dcJpKXw&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false

[13] Horowitz, H. (2021). OPINION: Cancel culture is toxic and does more harm than good
retrieved from [Link]
does-more-harm-than-good/

[14] Lopez, J-Anderson, Lambert, R., & Budaj, A., (2021). Tug of War: Social Media, Cancel
Culture, and Diversity for Girls and The 100. DOI: 10.17646/KOME.75672.59

[Link] [95]
 International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

[15] Merriam-Webster. (2019). What it means to get “Cancelled.” Merriam-

Webster. [Link]

[16] Mintz, S. (2021). Cancel Culture and Social Media. The Ethics Sage. Retrieved
from [Link]

[17] Müller, Karsten & Schwarz, Carlo, 2018. “Fanning the Flames of Hate: Social Media and
Hate Crime,” CAGE Online Working Paper Series 373, Competitive Advantage in the Global
Economy (CAGE)

[18] N. (2019). A Brief History of Internet Culture and How Everything Became Absurd. Medium.
Retrieved from [Link]
became-absurd-6af862e71c94

[19] Nguyen, B. (2020) “Cancel Culture on Twitter: The Effects of Information Source and
Messaging on Post Shareability and Perceptions of Corporate Greenwashing” Wharton Research
Scholars. 197. Retrieved from: [Link]

[20] Ng, E. (2020). No Grand Pronouncements Here…: Reflections on Cancel Culture and Digital
Media Participation. Television & New Media, 21(6), 621–
627. https9://[Link]/10.1177/1527476420918828

[21] Norris, P. (2020). Closed minds? Is a ‘cancel culture’ stifling academic freedom and
intellectual debate in political science? (SSRN Scholarly Paper ID 3671026). Social Science
Research Network. [Link]

[22] Oksana Yaremko.,(2021). Cancel Culture and Cyber-Aggression: Issues of Legal

Assessment. Retrieved from [Link]

[23] Settle, J. (2018). Frenemies: How Social Media Polarizes America. Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press. doi:10.1017/9781108560573 retrieved
from [Link]

[24] Shank, L., (2020). Opinion: Social Media is Overrun by Cancel Culture. Retrieved
from [Link]
culture

[25] Toler, L. (2021) The Mental Health Effects of Cancel Culture. Retrieved
from [Link]
(Toler, 2021) (Toler, 2021)

[26] Zimmermann, Kim. (2017). What is Culture? Live Science Contributor. Retrieved
from [Link]

[Link] [96]
International Journal of Arts, Sciences and Education ISSN: 2799 - 1091
Volume 3 Issue 1 | March 2022 Page No. 86-97

[Link] [97]